Happy holidays, friends! This week’s menu is pretty much non-existent! 😉 I’m just relishing the holidays/leftovers/never knowing what we’re doing each day! But come this Sunday things are going to get REAL in the menu planning department. Brace yourselves!

If you did happen to plan a menu this week, please share in the comments as usual!

Happy Holidays!

Hello friends! December is just charging right along, isn’t it? Here is our menu for the week, which includes Christmas! Yay!

MONDAY:
– Dinner at Legoland! 🙂

TUESDAY:
– Carnitas tacos

WEDNESDAY:
– Leftover carnitas

THURSDAY:
– Chicken Pot Pie (using leftover Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer!)

FRIDAY:
– Leftover chicken pot pie

SATURDAY:
– Chinese Takeout, our Christmas Eve tradition!

SUNDAY:
– Swedish Meatballs
– Bulle/Vetebröd (Swedish cardamom bread)

As usual please share your own dinner plans for the week! And Happy Holidays!

* Cookie recipes pictured:

• Sugar cookies
• Rolled chocolate cut out cookies

Here’s the thing with today’s rice crispy treats. When you look at them they look like normal, everyday, boring rice crispy treats. And then you take a bite. And you’re like, “What am I eating!?!?” You’re eating sea salt and brown butter rice crispy treats, that’s what. And they are so good.

I discovered this recipe thanks to my friend Nikki, who is also the reason that the SoNo Chocolate Ganache Cake is in all of our lives. We went camping with Nikki and her family this summer and she brought these for dessert on the beach. As soon as I took a bite I knew she had done something different with the recipe. Sure enough brown butter was involved. And lots of it. The original recipe that Nikki uses is from Joanne Chang’s Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe cookbook. I have adapted it and my version is below. (You can see the original recipe on Epicurious.) I use vanilla bean paste to get that wonderful vanilla bean look and flavor but without messing with the pods, which I never have on hand anyway. I also added coarse sea salt to the mix because coarse sea salt always makes everything more delicious.

By the way, if you don’t really like rice crispy treats then I don’t think these are going to miraculously change your opinion. They are still rice crispy treats after all…but they have a really wonderful salty-sweet flavor and I myself can’t get enough of them! Enjoy!

Sea Salt and Brown Butter Rice Crispy Treats

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Adapted from Joanne Chang's "Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe"

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 32

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) salted butter
• Generous ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus a bit more for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 10-ounce bags large marshmallows
• 10 cups rice crispy cereal

Instructions

1. Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with oil and set aside.
2. Heat a very large pot over medium heat on the stovetop. While pot is heating, gather all of your ingredients so they are ready to go.
3. Cut butter into squares and add to heated pan. Cook, stirring regulary, for about 7-10 minutes until the butter has browned. For the first 5 minutes or so there will be a white foamy layer on top, then that will start to disappear, then the butter will start to bubble and foam up again. The butter will brown sometime after this happens. It will look light brown below the foam and have a lovely nutty aroma. Be sure to cook until butter just turns brown (you have to really look because the foam on top can obstruct your view. It is helpful to cook the butter in a light-colored pan so it's easier to see the color of the butter.)
4. As soon as the butter has browned, reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt and vanilla paste. Mix well then add the marshmallows, cooking over low heat and stirring constantly until all of the marshmallows have melted and you have a smooth mixture.
5. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the stove. Add the rice crispy cereal and stir well to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
6. Using wet hands, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
7. Sprinkle the top with just a bit of sea salt.
8. Let cool 1 hour before cutting. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Makes 32 1½" x 2" squares.

3.4.3177

Dear Blog,

Are you feeling neglected? Well, that’s because you are. But I still love you!

Sincerely,

Jane

Oh my goodness, friends. Life is kicking my butt. I am barely getting meal plans together at this point, hence the late posting! I want to thank you loyal menu sharers in particular for commenting each week with your menus – they are truly so helpful and inspirational!

Okay, here is my quick and dirty menu for this week…which will probably totally not happen but at least I’m trying!

MONDAY:
– Corner Bakery Cafe…again. (Free kids meals rule!)

TUESDAY:
– French Toast

WEDNESDAY:
– Beef Stroganoff (from Costco)
– Glazed Carrots

THURSDAY:
– Leftovers

FRIDAY:
– Birthday dinner! We are going to see Rogue One and then Birthday Girl #1 has requested takeout burgers eaten in the living room watching Gilmore Girls. Her birthday cake will look like a hamburger.

SATURDAY:
– Birthday party! We’re doing pizza takeout to fuel a fun-filled sleepover for Birthday Girl #2 of the week!

SUNDAY:
– Honestly, no clue what we’ll eat on Sunday. I just need to survive two birthdays first and then think about that!

Wish me luck on surviving the next week! And, as usual, please share your dinner plans in the comments!

Hello friends!

Oh man, I am the worst lately! But I have a good reason for not getting my weekly meal plan together yet this week…I spent Sunday and Monday cooking up a second Thanksgiving feast for the year! So, you know, I was arm deep in pie crust and mashed potatoes, making it difficult to type on a computer. Anyway, my menu this week reflects most people’s menus the week of Thanksgiving, something for which I am very grateful!

MONDAY:
– Thanksgiving Feast!
– Turkey
– Classic Mashed Potatoes
– Classic Stuffing
– Gravy
– Crescent Rolls
– Cranberry Slush
– Cranberry Sauce
– Sweet Potato Souffle
-Pies: Pumpkin, Crumble Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Pie

TUESDAY:
– Thanksgiving leftovers

WEDNESDAY:
– Thanksgiving leftovers

THURSDAY:
– Turkey Soup with Rice

FRIDAY:
– Christmas party!

SATURDAY:
– Another Christmas party!

SUNDAY:
– Leftovers or breakfast of eat out, whatever makes the most sense!

Hopefully you all haven’t given up on me and are still there to post menus! Post away! And have a wonderful week!

Happy Giving Tuesday! I am just loving that this day grows more and more each year! Before we get to this week’s menu (um, how is it Tuesday already? ACK!), I just wanted to share this with you…

Isn’t that goat cute? And the little hands holding him up are pretty cute, too! This goat is part of the Goat Squad and the kids and I will be taking pictures of him later today to share on social media to support Heifer International. Last year I traveled to Malawi to meet Heifer farmers and to witness the transformative effect Heifer has had, not only on individual lives but on families and entire villages. If you’re looking to join in on the #GoatSquadGoals Giving Tuesday fun, you can donate to Heifer here. I’ve seen first hand the good your money will do. In fact, it’s not just “good” it’s AMZING. If you want to specifically target your funds to go to the people of Malawi, click here.

In the spirit of Giving Tuesday and Thanksgiving, I am feeling especially grateful that I get to  plan my family’s menu for the week, even though I am late! Sorry there is no fancy printable menu and shopping list this week. We’re lucky I’m getting anything planned at all!

MONDAY:
– Ate out at Corner Bakery Cafe (seriously, the free kid’s meals…our whole family ate for $15 and it was great food. I’m hooked!)

TUESDAY:
– I’m gonna be honest, we’re going to eat at Luna Grill…more free kid’s meals and I haven’t gotten to the store yet since our trip!

WEDNESDAY:
– Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
– Fruit and carrots

THURSDAY:
– Caprese Paninis

FRIDAY:
– Breakfast for dinner: waffles and smoothies

SATURDAY:
– Thanksgiving dinner! We had an amazing feast with our family in Utah, but we are wishing we had leftovers of our own here at home! I am cooking different Thanksgiving foods all week so that it will be easy to pull together on Saturday.

SUNDAY:
– Leftovers!

Your turn! Please share your menus for the week, even though we’re a few days later than normal!

Before we take off on our Thanksgiving travels, I have to share this super cute, crazy easy Thanksgiving kids craft with you. Owen brought it home from school. It’s so simple and so cute (and so delicious…I love Hunt’s Pudding Snack Packs for some reason!) even I would do this craft with my kids. That is really saying something. I’m like the anti-craft mom.

Materials:

• Chocolate Pudding Snack Pack
• Small Googly Eyes
• Construction paper, cut into feather shapes and small orange triangles for the nose

How To Make the Turkey Pudding Craft:

• Flip the pudding snack pack upside down.
• Using either a hot glue gun or scotch tape, attach the eyes, nose and tail feathers.
• All done!

You could even have the kids make these and then put them on the table at each place setting for decoration. It will keep them busy while the grown-ups are cooking and make them feel like they’ve contributed.

I never thought I would say this on the blog…but…Happy Crafting!

Happy Thanksgiving Week! I’m going old-school-This-Week-for-Dinner and doing a weekly menu post filled with all kinds of stuff. Here we go!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

We were originally going to be hosting Thanksgiving here at our home, but plans have changed and now we’re driving to Utah to be with family there. Which means I don’t need to plan a menu for this week because we’ll be traveling. But if YOU have a menu planned for this week, please share it in the comments!

THANKSGIVING!

This November I’ve been feeling a lot of gratitude. Things have also been a little quiet here on the blog, on my podcast and on my social media channels. You see, two weeks ago I was in a car accident. I’m not going to get into details for now, and I am recovering very well. That said, the accident was scary and unexpected. In the end, though, it could have been so much worse and, from the moment the car came to a stop and I knew I was okay, I felt nothing but gratitude throughout the entire experience. That gratitude carried me through. And now, entering the busiest time of year, I’ve not only been forced to slow down, but I’ve also thought a lot about just how lucky and blessed I am. Instead of feeling frustrated by not being able to do more this November I’m just taking it in stride and letting it be a positive experience. Here’s to a holiday season that is less about the busy and more about the gratitude and love.

That is why I haven’t been posting much or sharing any new recipes for Thanksgiving. But that’s okay, I’ve got tons of great Thanksgiving content on the blog already. If you’re looking for assistance for the big feast this week, I have some links you need to peruse!

• Click here to see every post I’ve shared on the blog with the tag Thanksgiving Prep. Clicking this link simply takes you to that blog category, where you can scroll through all the Thanksgiving Prep posts.
• I have tried pretty much every technique out there for cooking turkey with the exception of frying. Last year I finally figured out the formula for the PERFECT TURKEY. Click here for my Perfect Roasted Turkey post.
• Click here for my pie crust tutorial and favorite all-butter pie crust recipe.
• Click here for my Thanksgiving feast menu from 2 years ago. I link to all of my most favorite Thanksgiving recipes in that post, some of which I am sure I we will be cooking up at my sister-in-law’s home this year!

If you have your Thanksgiving feast planned, please share that in the comments! Links to recipes always welcome!

GILMORE GIRLS IS ALMOST HERE!

Forget the accident, I think the new Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life episodes airing on Netflix the day after Thanksgiving is why I am feeling truly grateful this year. Just kidding! (Mostly.)

Netflix sent me an adorable package filled with goodies to help us enjoy the new episodes. I’m still not sure if I’m going to bingewatch or spread out the new episodes, but the mailer got me and my girls watching old episodes together this weekend and it’s been so much fun. Nate is still flummoxed by the fact I can watch Gilmore Girls over and over and over again. (To be honest, I’m a little flummoxed by it myself.) Psst…I have an inside source who has already seen the new episodes. This little birdie didn’t give me any details (it’s a good birdie) but she did say that the new episodes are SO GOOD. Are you as excited as I am?!?!?! WOOHOO!!!!

And with that I am DONE. I kind of love today’s post. I don’t have to plan a weekly menu (I know, ironic). THANKSGIVING! And GIMORE GIRLS! As I mentioned before, if you have a weekly menu and/or Thanksgiving plan to share in the comments, please do. And, of course, any and all discussion of the Gilmore Girls is welcome! Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Hello! Once again I’m a day late and a dollar short, but at least I’m still getting my meal plan done! I won’t got into details, but I was in bed a lot last week and am finally feeling better, so here we go!

MONDAY:
– Corner Bakery Cafe takeout – kids eat free night 🙂

TUESDAY:
– Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
– Fruit and carrots

WEDNESDAY:
– Spaghetti Bolognese
– Salad

THURSDAY:
– Sausage with red beans and rice
– Salad

FRIDAY:
– Leftovers

SATURDAY:
– Eat out/Takeout night

SUNDAY:
– Breakfast for dinner: Waffles and Smoothies

Click here for the printable PDF of the menu and ingredients list.

As usual, your menus from last week were such a help as I planned, so, thank you!

Your turn! Please share your weekly menu in the comments! Thanks and have a great week!

Hi everyone! It’s been a crazy weekend, so I’m just now getting to the meal plan. Sorry I’m late!

MONDAY:
– Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
– Fruit and carrots

TUESDAY:
– Carnitas Tacos
– Guacamole and chips

WEDNESDAY:
– Chicken Pasta Salad
– Garlic Knots

THURSDAY:
– Leftovers

FRIDAY:
– Eat out night

SATURDAY:
– Dinner on the grill! Veggie kebabs + some sort of meat
– Fresh fruit

SUNDAY:
– Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner (waffles and fruit)

Your turn! Share your menus in the comments! Thank you, everyone!